Cole, the son of United legend Andy , left City in the summer after becoming disenchanted with the amount of opportunities that were being offered his way.

He was one of the brightest prospects in the club's Elite Development Squad, but opted to leave before signing for Bradford City in League One.

Cole has slammed City for not giving youngsters a fair crack of the whip - and says that the club's morals have completely changed since their big money takeover.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: "I had a choice, them or United. I picked City because I enjoyed it more and it was the best place for youngsters. They’d brought through players like Micah Richards and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

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"Then they got their money and everything changed straight away. They started buying foreign boys for the academy and all the English lads got pushed to one side."

Cole says that the players which City brought in for big money fees from abroad became favourites of the academy and were given preferential treatment.

He believes that the youngsters who came through the ranks all began to realise that they were never going to make the first-team.

Loan star: Cole was sent out on loan to MK Dons by City (Image: Pete Norton)

The 20-year-old forward, who has scored five times for Bradford this season, also revealed that rejecting Southampton's successful academy was one of his biggest regrets.

He said: "I had the chance to join Southampton at 16 and in hindsight I regret it because their youngsters, like James Ward-Prowse and Luke Shaw, are given an opportunity."

Since signing for Bradford at the end of August, the Bantams have not lost a game in which Cole as scored.